Numerous implantable medical devices are available for acute or chronic implantation within patients. Some implantable medical devices may be used to chronically monitor physiological signals of the patient, such as implantable hemodynamic monitors, implantable cardiac monitors (sometimes referred to as implantable loop recorders or ECG monitors), implantable blood chemistry monitors, implantable pressure monitors, or the like. Other implantable devices may be configured to deliver a therapy in conjunction with or separate from the monitoring of physiological signals.
Advances in medical device technology have enabled implantable devices to be made smaller in size, which facilitates minimally invasive procedures for implanting the device and promotes patient comfort. Reduction of device size, however, poses limitations on the space available for batteries, telemetry communication modules, and other device components that support the primary device function. For example, replacing a bi-directional telemetry communication module in a device that does not necessarily require two-way communication for receiving programming commands with a smaller one-way transmission telemetry communication module can save space allowing significant device size reduction. The one-way transmission enables a device, such as a monitoring device, to transmit physiological signal data collected by the device.
Without bi-directional communication capabilities, however, testing and confirmation of the operability of the implantable device upon command, e.g. prior to implantation, is generally not possible. A need exists, therefore, for implantable medical device systems that enable size reductions, for example by implementing transmission-only telemetry communication modules, while still providing an implanting clinician and patient with the ability to confirm the operability or status of a medical device prior to implantation.